Benchmarking Lossless Still Image Codecs: Perspectives on Selected Compression Standards From 1992 through 2022

Abstract

As complementary technologies evolve, data compression continues to be a foundational aspect of growing digital collections. In this study, selected lossless still image codecs from 1992 through 2022 were benchmarked across a variety of efficiency and performance measures using reference images from cultural heritage. Additionally, entropy estimates were calculated by source image to assist in characterizing image information and evaluating encoder efficiency against assessed feasible compression limits. Encoder designs and compression techniques were also examined in the context of the study's measured results.